mare has no tail from rubbing

[europa]

Okay....I really want to get on top of this this year before the itching starts. Any ideas would be most appreciated. I think my mare is hyper sensitive to those stinking midge things like flies. She get crusty all over her belly and itches her mane and tail out. I bought a fly sheet with belly band and it helped some but still not the full answer. Does anyone else have this issue and what do you do. The vaseline and Campho did help some.

[Percheron X]

Thread about Onchocerca:

http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?t=155469&page=0

[Lieslot]

My vet gave me this shampoo to stop the itching :
"NuSal T" http://www.petmarket.com/antiseborrheic-dog-shampoo-dvm-nusalt-dog-shampoo-c-1456_1577_1578_1579.html and thereafter I followed up every other day with "Not So Sweet Itch" http://www.equispa.com/horses/not-so-sweet-itch/
Totally rid him of the itch.
I may have to repeat the above, coz I can see he's been building up flakes from wearing a blanket with tailflaps all winter long and the itch may start again, but with the above I know I can get it under control quick. My boy itches both in summer due to midges & after winter when his tailbone didn't see daylight nor fresh air months on end due to blanketing.

Sadly still not much of a tail however, I think he's just not got the hairfollicles anymore.
But it's a relief to both horse & myself that the endless tail itching stopped.

I also did the double dose Equimax (re onchocerca) but that didn't solve it in his case.

[Lieslot]

Hmmm, since I have little left of the NuSal T I was just checking if I could order some or whether I need to get it from my vet, but just figured it's been discontinued some time ago :(. This website recommends Vita-Soothe.
http://www.healthypets.com/nussham8oz.html

[Percheron X]

Also... A horse that has an allergic pruritus condition may respond to an antihistamine such as Tri-Hist or hydroxyzine... ask your vet.

[alteringwego]

Maybe I'm the anti-christ but.... keep her stalled and only turn her out when there are no buggies.

[mkevent]

I had a gelding boarded here that did the same thing. I'm up North, so his problem may be different from your mares, but here goes...

I did a search on allergies/nutraceuticals on here and it seems that MSM and flax are both highly regarded for anti inflammatory properties.

This gelding was on steroids and the owner really wanted him off the steroids, so was willing to take a chance on the nutraceutical route.

He was on 10,000 mg MSM daily plus the recommended amount of Bioflax 20. He tail looked just as good as when he was on steroids, in not even a *little* better.

I put both my horses on the same regimen. My gelding, who has 4 socks and was constantly battling scratches, has not had an issues since.

It may be worth trying out. MSM runs about $5/month and the Bioflax around $20 per month.

[SOTB]

Have you tried M-T-G? It really helped my horse that itched his tail off. I love that stuff.